Chapitre 80: Ch.22
As the people of earth literally reached for the stars, so did the Jaffa, Lucian alliance and Asgard. The Tok'ra were much more subtle as they merely created one home world where all Tok'ra would spawn from and made defensive satellites around it, cloaked for protection.
They were building a couple city ships usable under water through pure crystal technology by symbiote mind links. They would be entirely self sufficient soon as they even removed the stargate. With the Asgard matter converters, they wouldn't need much else.
Even the nanite bots they made to be their hands were coated in aquatic slime that prevented them from shorting out. The Lucian alliance was the worst case scenario as they took the technology and their leaders wanted to use it to conquer other worlds.
Hell, they had world building capabilities once they built the spires but instead they wished to be pains in the asses. Ginn defected when she realized they were no good and stayed on earth and Destiny with Eli mostly. Earth guaranteed her protection and the Lucian alliance new better than to piss me off.
They knew Eli was my pet project and this protected. Killing his lover would immediately put them on my shit list and earned them a lot of trouble so they let it go reluctantly.
That is until a Lucian alliance extremist aboard Destiny tried something and I kept my word, sending him into a star. Ginn called him Simeon, but I called him a screamer as that's what he did with the last of his oxygen as he roasted alive. She didn't find it funny but I sure as hell did.
And so in a years time we all arrived back aboard the Destiny ships. Eli was far more fit now and more buckled down as well. He had all the experience of leadership that Sam was willing to part to him and enough flight training and combat training to take part in any mission devised by Jacob.
Hell, he'd finished the teleportation project on his own after the first three months. It cost a fuck ton of power but we were now able to teleport anyone from any planet with a stargate on it. It had gone a long way to boosting our sensors to span more than one galaxy at a time as well so long as we were willing to waste the energy to do so.
I'd had to replace all mark three ZPM's aboard both Destiny's with mark fours as it really did eat away at the power at an insane rate. To span the hundred or so galaxies back to earth with the sensors, it would drain all one hundred mark four ZPM's in a day's time.
On the bright side we could see a hundred galaxies ahead for now until we eventually catch up with the other seed ships and are forced to upgrade them as well. This new galaxy we were stepping into had it's own host of problems.
The largest being that we had to cloak to get through a blockade of cannibals just to get into the galaxy. The moment I felt out for all the information this galaxy had, I told Jacob and General Landry. "I've downloaded all the information this galaxy has including diseases and pathogens and cultures. You'll want to skip this one unless you feel like fighting a galactic battle."
Landry shook his head. "It's not our job to fight for others causes in every galaxy we go to. We did it for the drones last time because of the technology it presented and the cultural learnings among other things. From the looks of this one the only interesting thing about this galaxy is that they had a planet they called earth as well. Their ships don't even have defense shields."
I nodded. "You've made up your minds then, good. I'll be staying in this galaxy for a while. I sense an adventure after a fashion."
Sam and Adria came over. "Are you sure about this?"
I smiled. "There's no ascended here to stop me and even if there were, they could do nothing harmful to me. Besides, you girls have a long while before your essence is divine. Take your time and enjoy the ride."
Adria frowned. "I'll stay with you then, at least as an ascended to make sure if your mortal body dies I can help you ascend again in time."
I chuckled. "Alright. Do as you wish. Sam, make sure Eli is trained but the time we see each other again. It may be a few years but no more than a decade at most."
My form glowed a little and Landry asked Sam. "What is he doing?"
It was Daniel who was in the doorway who answered. "He's taking on human form again."
My body dimmed as my fleshy body was there once more. Sighing I felt weak. "So this is what it feels like to be human. I'd forgotten. It's been so long. I don't have any of my strength or inherent abilities not pertaining to the mind, but-"
I made Eli float for a second before putting him down. "Still partially ascended, only at the peak of the human physiology."
I waved a hand and a flaming sword appeared in my hand before vanishing. "Magic is still here as well. I feel odd though."
Adria touched my face lightly saying. "Your nose is bleeding. I can't tell if it was the magic or using the ascended powers that did it either."
I shrugged and wiped the blood away. "Doesn't matter now. I should still be able to use enough to grow plants at least."
I turned to Jacob. "Send me to the planet marked in the star map as Persephone. There's some interesting things there that are about to start from the looks of it."
Jacob asked one last time. "Are you sure? From the looks of it this galaxy is a dump and full of cannibals to boot."
I chuckled. "True, but it's an interesting dump and I want to see more of it. I can smell the adventure and there's only a hand full of stargate in it so I'm pretty sure these people don't even know what they are. It could be fun."
Daniel looked over the data pad and shook his head. "While it's interesting that there's human life forms out this far that aren't related to the ancient's, I gotta agree with Jacob on this one. Most of the galaxy seems like a corrupt den of thieves and cut throats."
Chuckling I told them. "I'm sure. By boys, I'll see you all in a few years should you still be on Destiny by then. Sam, Buffy and Faith are busy but I e told them what I'm doing so make sure they behave. Faith tends to get cranky when I'm not there to entertain her voracious appetites. If she gets too bad, spank her and she'll calm down."
Sam grinned but only nodded as I was teleported away. The clothes I chose to form as I became mortal was a simple yet powerful set of body armor my Jaffa had once worn along with the vibro blades and phase blasters that Ronan favored. I had a single robe over my armor and leather pants to conceal the weapons I carried.
My ring had the rest of my stuff in it so I merely materialized a couple duffle bags and had Adria who appeared next to me snatch some platinum credits from the local rich people. It wasn't much, only enough to last the decade in relative comfort. I slung the bags over my shoulder and started walking through the ally I ended up in.
When some thieves confronted me, demanding I give them the bags and my stuff, I shot them both dead. They were very surprised as they died with shocked faces. They hadn't even known I was packing heat.
That's when I ran face to face into the ones I was looking for. The captain of Serenity and his muscle were starring at me and my weapon. I shrugged. "What? They were going to gut me and steal my things. You'd have done the same gorram thing. Unless you're looking to steal from me as well?"
I didn't raise my gun but Mal instantly knew it was time to speak or get shot. "Not interested no, I've got my own business stranger. It's best we be on our own ways."
I shrugged and put the gun away in my robe and grabbed my bags. Adria whispered in my ear. "They're surprised you killed so quickly and with a gun model they've never seen before. You apparently moved quicker than any veteran Mal's ever met. He's wondering if you're an alliance trained assassin or a special unit in their secret programs."
Chuckling I whistled a merry tune on my way and found a nice place that sells wooden boxes the size of jewelry boxes with decorations. I bought one and carried it with me as I went. It was no bigger than a small boom box so it was kind of awkward but I managed.
When I saw the ships lined up to take on passengers, I met a preacher called Book outside the Serenity. He and a dirty female who clearly needed a bath were talking. She took one look at me and asked. "Need a ride? Were the best ship from here to Boros."
I smiled. "Sure, though I'm hoping to go farther than Boros. I'm looking for adventure you see. I've a feeling I might find it here somewhere. I can pay a good price for excitement and danger."
I tossed her a small sack of two hundred platinum coins and she caught it before her eyes went wide. "Look no further!"
I chuckled. "Mind showing me where I'll be bunking then? I've only got what you see here so it shouldn't be hard to tuck away somewhere."
She led me inside and I passed book who was smiling. "Adventure huh?"
I nodded. "Yes sir, I've been cooking my heels for what seems like forever now. Well, a year at least. I want to get my blood pumping in terror and fun for a while."
I held out a hand. "Names Osiris, not original I know, but it's a name."
He smiled. "People call me Book."
I chuckled. "Well, it's as good of one as any I'm sure."
He nodded at the easy joke and shook my hand. I followed Kaylee to the small quarters while she talked about the ships. "It's small I know, but it's home."
I chuckled. "That it is. It should be a nice enough one at that. Here, as a token for the tour."
I slipped her a bar of chocolate and she frowned. "What is it?"
Smiling I told her. "That is grade A dark chocolate. It goes best on fruits like cherries and strawberries. Melt it in a pan and dip the fruit in before taking a bite. It heightens the pleasure and taste of it I assure you. Feel free to ask for more should you run out. I keep a good supply in stock as it's my favorite on several desert dishes."
She took it and opened the package before taking an experimental bite. Her eyes went wide at the taste and I chuckled. "Orgasmic I know. All the woman I've been with like to taste it during sex. It really does heighten the pleasure some."
She blushed and left while I closed the door and laid down for a bit until she came back and told me. "Captains back. He has a few announcements before we take off."
I followed her out and leaned against the doorway while Mal announced that the cargo area was off limits without a crew member. When he mentioned dropping off good in Whitefall, I smirked.
I got a kick out of his expression when he saw me but all I said was. "Fancy meeting you here Captain. Here I go out looking for adventure and I run into the first people I meet that aren't dumb enough to pull a weapon on me. It's got to be fate or something. Perhaps the shepherd would see more into it, I'm not much for that kind of stuff myself mind, but I'm liking the pattern at least."
I turned and he was gobsmacked as I walked away back to my quarters. I didn't meet them all again until it was mess hall time. When the preacher offered to share food stuffs, I offered. "I can cook like a professional chef if it helps. I'll even throw in some oregano I picked up on Persephone. Can't go wrong with some good spices or so I hear."
That surprised the shepherd now as much as the captain and his first mate. The bulky muscle, Jayne, didn't seem to have a problem with it either so I fried up a meal. After adding in some supplies including steaks and basic seasoning salt, the food came out great.
I made a giant bowl of salad as well as I set the table. They were each stunned until I admitted. "I may pack light but I'm a foody. I make sure to only pack the best foods I can bring so dig in, I hope you like it."
I cut my own steak, picked from the pile as they each sat down to enjoy their meals. When Jayne made a derogatory comment about Kaylee hooking up wit Simon, I chuckled. "At least she has a chance to knock boots as you put it. with an attitude like yours you'd have to pay for it or have them desperately in need to scratch an itch."
Simon and the rest actually choked on their food while Kaylee laughed. Jayne wasn't too happy but then when he offered to hit me, I told him clearly. "You'd not like the outcome of trying friend. I'm a quicker blade than I am a shot."
I tapped the vibro blade at my waste and he grunted a bit. Mal asked. "I saw the way you handled those men so I gotta ask, where did you serve?"
I shook my head. "Nowhere you'd recognize and not for the alliance if that's what you're asking. I'd kill alliance men all day for blood sport and fun if I could. They're slow and barely worth the effort to draw my blade but they tend to scream like a women in the throws of childbirth when they die, so I forebear."
The hidden lawman paled as he heard my words. Mal's lip only twitched a little as he asked about my gun. I pulled it out, clearly making them all nervous until I set it on the table and waved for him to look at. "It's a bit heavy and the kick hurts like a mule when you aren't used to it, but it'll melt through an iron plate in six shots and the pack holds a charge of a thousand shots all together. To bad it can't be automatic without melting it's own barrel."
Mal picked it up and tinkered with it for a minute before asking. "Is this the safety switch?"
I shook my head. "There is no safety switch. There's stun and kill. I never bother with stunning someone anymore as it's a right pain in the ass when they shoot you in the back afterwards."
I showed him how to flip the switch before saying. "Keep it. I've got two more on me and that pack only has seven hundred rounds left in it."
He slid it into his waste band and asked. "What did you have in mind for trade. I don't imagine you're just giving out your own weapons."
I chuckled. "I'm in search of adventure like I said. If you find any let me know. I haven't had a good fight in years and I sense excitement follows you everywhere. I'm just hoping to tag along for the fun of it when it catches up to you every now and then."
He nodded and grinned. "I think I can manage that if nothing else. Consider it a fair trade then."
I smiled next and nodded before returning to the conversation and frowning. "There's a companion on board? I'm not judging I've just never seen one and I'm curious."
Mal sighed while Kaylee told me about Inara. I smiled and made her a fresh plate of food before heading to find her, not unaided mind you since Zoë was showing me the way. I knocked before entering to see a topless Adria there.
I was a bit confused until my mate spoke in my ear. "She looks exactly like me! She must be a descendant of the same branch of humans as I was born into. True randomness does include the possibility of duplicates."
Sighing I shook my head gently and told her telepathically. (She's not you. She doesn't have that spark that you do.)
I sighing I let the companion know I was there. "Captain said you might be hungry, I figured I might bring you something to quell that. It's not much for someone whose used to being fine dined by those rich types I'm sure, but it'll do the job I'm sure."
She gasped and looked to me startled. "Sorry, I wasn't expecting you. I expected-"
I waved it off as I set the tray down. "Mal perhaps? Or the shepherd come to scold you on your ways? Sorry to disappoint but I'll be taking my leave now."
I turned and went to leave until I felt her hand on my arm. "No, stay, it's fine."
I sighed and discussed my arrival and the fascination I have with adventure. She pointed out. "There are many forms of adventure. A kiss can be an adventure all it's own if done properly."
I smiled lightly. "For that matter so can a touch, but no, I'm not speaking of coitus or love. What I'm hoping to find is excitement that can make me feel as if every moment is the last. I crave something that will fade the lines between fear and hope. To walk the line between life and the great abyss as it were."
I waved a gentle hand to her quarters, the silk curtains and fine clothes she'd adorned. "While I agree that sex and all it's forms of pleasures can be adventurous to most, it very rarely becomes dangerous even if you add whips and chains."
She quirked an eyebrow. "Whips and chains?"
I smirked. "What, you've never ridden a man when he was truly at your mercy? The power you'd feel having the greatest hunter under you as you decide when and if he finds release or she, I'm not judging. From what my mates say it's like riding a lightning bolt. The energy and excitement of it tends to turn them. They always find it hard to explain."
I had an amused smile while something truly amazing happened, the companion, the professional prostitute was blushing. Chuckling I reached into my robe and heard a gun cock. Sighing I spoke. "Relax, I'd never kill an innocent lady."
Zoë snorted and I slowly pulled out a bar of chocolate. Both women were confused as I opened it and broke it in half before handing a piece to each. "It's chocolate. I got it on one of the core worlds. Hard to come by but it's become a sort of habit of mine. Try some, you've my word it's good see?"
I took another chocolate bar out of my ring while my hand was inside my robes. After taking a bite to prove it they mimicked me. The smile on both their faces was funny.
I pulled out a few more bars and set them on the empty tray saying. "It's not much but from what I hear it's worth more than it's weight in gold in some places. Females of the rich people of the core worlds swear up and down that it helps with their monthly times as a craving. I find it makes an excellent desert when mixed with certain fruits. Strawberries and cherries are the best examples."
I stood slowly now and handed Zoë a few more bars of chocolate as well before saying. "You ladies enjoy the deserts and try not to over do it. It'll make you sick if you eat to much to quickly. The sugar in it and all."
Zoë frowned. "Sugar? Isn't this illegal contraband then?"
I smirked. "If you don't want it-"
She shook her head. "No, it's fine. I'm sure the lawmen don't check for such small things."
Shrugging I headed out saying. "Then I've held up your time long enough, both of yours. I'll be taking my leave now. If you need anything, I hardly leave my quarters unless it's to work out in the empty space of the loading dock. Captain said so long as I don't go poking around it should be fine with just Kaylee or one of the crew watching. If I'm not in one place, I'm in the other."
I headed back to my quarters and bunked down for a few hours while listening to a music crystal player Sam had designed for me as a gift from Alteran technology. When Mal pulled me out demanding to know what signal I was sending with my tech, I tossed it to him and told him to put the ear bud in.
When he did I smirked. "See, no signal, it's just music. Why, did someone send a signal and to whom?"
He frowned and handed my music crystal back saying. "Someone sent a signal to the alliance. We've got trouble coming."
I slid my robe back on over my armor saying. "We'd best be dealing with it then captain."
When he saw me grab the handle of my vibro blade he shrugged and left. I followed and watched him strike Simon and open up the compartment where River Tam, Simon's sister was being held. I stood back a ways and pulled my plasma pistol.
When they were done arguing and Mal pulled his gun on Simon, Zoë pointed out the lawman on the platform above with his own gun pointed at Mal and Simon. He started causing problems and making demands until the situation got tense and he accidentally fired his weapon in the heat of the moment, hitting Kaylee.
I fired just after that from the shadows of the crates, my blast hitting him dead in the chest, frying a hole where the blast hit. He fell dead and only the preacher man had a problem with his death. "Why did you-"
I snorted. "Your words hold no weight with me shepherd. No offense but he was dumb enough to shoot an unarmed innocent. I'd kill you if you tried what he'd done. He was armed and facing me, that's all anyone can ask to go out like, on your feet facing your enemies in battle."
Mal grunted in approval while Jayne snorted. "You just killed a lawman, were going to have feds after us now because of you."
I chuckled. "You're smugglers and thieves from the way captain reacted to the lawman. Killing one lawman will hardly matter to someone stealing from alliance owned ships I'm sure. As for why, well, you heard him. We were all fucked if he turned us in and I know for a fact he could ID each and every one of us. Or do you want to take the chance he was a lawman with a heart of gold and a bad memory."
Jayne sighed and cursed in Chinese before saying. "No, but you could've let me kill him at least. I ain't did a lawman in, in along time."
Chuckling I watched Mal argue with Simon about saving Kaylee. When it got bad and Kaylee cried from the pain Mal gave the order to flee with a full burn. While we escaped the alliance patrol ships bearing down and Doctor Tam got to work, Mal chewed me out. "We needed him alive to find out how much he sent them."
I shook my head. "I can find that out without him being alive. All I need is the broadcaster he was using. It won't take but a moment."
He grunted. "Fine, Zoë take him to the lawman's bunk and keep an eye on him. If he's lying shoot him. We can space him and the lawman at the same time. I'll stay here and make sure the good doctor doesn't try anything stupid."
Zoë showed me to the lawman's quarters where I found the transmitter he'd used. I hooked it up to a data pad and cracked it's encryptions before showing her. "He only had enough time to send coordinates before it was cut off see?"
She looked it over before asking. "How'd you crack the alliance's encryption codes so fast?"
I shrugged. "There's no code I can't crack given enough time. This, this is basic. I could write better code in my sleep and fingerless."
I searched around and found a few guns along with some alliance credits in the lawman's wallet. I also found a stash of about a five hundred platinum for an emergency rabbit fund.
I tossed the weapons and cash on the table before Zoë. "Take what you want, I've no use for it and the lawman is too dead to care either way. Tell captain that my deal still stands. I'm seeking adventure, not looking to cause him more problems."
I left her there stunned and headed to my bunk. There I listened to my music until Mal announced we were passing reavers, the cannibals.
A good deal later Mal came in my quarters once more, this time with Jayne. "We're doing a job and we can use an extra pair of hands. From what I've seen you're a mighty fine shot, we can use that. But here's the thing, this'll be a trial run so you won't be paid for it."
Chuckling I sat up and grabbed the bag next to the bed. "This should be proof enough of my words. I meant it when I said I'd pay for adventure. Here."
I handed him the duffle bag and he opened it up. His stunned gaze looked from it's contents to me and back again. I chuckled while Jayne frowned. "What is it captain?"
Mal shook a little before I said. "It's payment for my fair. That's half now and another half when I decide the adventure is over. Since it's the captains ship and I'm aware of what I'm asking, it's his decision if he wants to tell you what it is."
Mal swallowed and zipped the bag back up before nodding. "We have a deal mister Osiris, but if you put my people in jeopardy-"
I sighed solemnly. "All I ask is that I can explain myself before I'm fried, fair enough?"
He nodded again. "As fair as any I suppose. Get ready, you'll be with me and Zoë on the ground. I hope you're as good a shot as you seem to be while taking fire. Jane will cover us after he deals with the ambush."
I nodded and slid my weapons belt on and my robe over it. Mal headed to his quarters real quick before meeting us in the cargo hold. There we left with some boxes before burying them in a few miles east of the meeting place in a valley.
When we were close to the meeting grounds, Mal described how he thought it'd play out. Once he told Jayne to take a walk and to do so lightly without killing, I asked him. "Stun or kill if it comes to it?"
He smirked and told me. "If negotiations do break down, I'm not looking to get shot in the back."
Chuckling I nodded and flipped both my plasma pistols to kill before sliding them back in place. For the remainder of the time I walked with them to the meeting while my hand never left the hilt of my blades.
Zoë frowned before asking softly while the other side approached on horse back. "What do you think you can do with a sword at a distance?"
I smirked and showed her the metal wire that connected to my wrist bands and the hilt of the swords I carried while saying back quietly. "I've got range and speed. Besides, it takes longer for someone to aim and fire accurately with a gun than it does for me to bridge the gap and cut them down. So long as they're within thirty feet, they're in my kill range."
Both her and Mal gulped audibly at that before Mal said. "Get ready, you may just have to prove your words."
I smiled and nodded while the old moon warlord and her men stopped ten feet away on horse back and a buggy carrier. Mal did his part as I felt about and barely managed to feel Jayne taking out the snipers.
When captain Mal got the money and told them where to find the loot, they didn't leave. He finally spoke up again. "I'd appreciate it if you all rode off so we could all be on our merry ways."
The leader and warlord, Patience, sighed. "Well you see, there's a kind of hitch."
Mal didn't even blink. "We both made out on this deal. Don't complicate things."
She licked her dried lips. "I got a rule. I never let go of money I don't have to. Which is maybe why I'm running this little world and you're still on that dinky old boat sniffin' for scraps."
Mal set his jaw and glanced at me. I nodded and he sighed. "Well then, I guess we got a problem-"
I moved faster than they could raise their guns and split two of them in half with my blades before decapitating another and throwing my left handed sword into the throat of the man driving the buggy.
The last man cursed and turned to flee. He got five feet before my second blade pierced the back of his neck where his skull met his spinal column. Patience cursed and went to fire but Mal shit a stunner at her horse as it fell down on top of her, trapping her underneath it at the waistline.
Mal looked around to the mess I made and cursed in Chinese just as I retracted my wires bring my sword handles back into my hands. Zoë was impressed as well but I ignored them as I wiped off my blades to clean the blood and body fluids off of them before putting them away.
I saw the rifle one of the men were carrying and looted it along with all the bullets he had for it and did the same for the rest of the men I killed. I tossed their coin and cash to Zoë before calming the horses. I'd managed to bring the last of the four horses back when Jayne came running. "Mal, we gotta get out of here. They managed to follow us! We got gorram reavers coming on the sensors."
I slid on the back of the horse I'd brought back and Mal told Zoë and Jayne to mount up. We left in a hurry, leaving Patience trapped under her stunned horse. We rode out back to the ship as fast as the horses could take us.
When we got there, I told Mal. "Your engineer is out and I know a thing or three about ships. I'll take over there you just gotta tell me what you need done."
He nodded and told Jayne. "Grab Kaylee and get her to the engine room. We're going to need her to direct him."
Jayne took off while I headed directly to the engine room. When I got there I realized how bad the mess was and cursed a bit. When Kaylee and Jayne arrived he set her down and she hit the coms. "Captain, you need a full burn?"
Mal answered. "Not yet but set it up."
She went to speak and I stopped her. "I already know how just relax."
I went to the press regulator and set it up for a full burn. She nodded and told the captain. "We're ready for full burn on your mark."
A minute later Wash, the pilot, came over the coms next. "Kaylee, how would you feel about pulling a crazy Ivan?"
She smiled and answered. "Always wanted to try one."
I frowned and she said. "It's a back switch reverse burn."
I nodded and smiled while I set it up, cutting the hydraulics. When we were ready she told Wash over the coms weakly. "Okay"
He told everyone over the coms. "Everybody hold onto something."
When I felt us shift and he yelled. "Now!" Over the coms I hit the switch and yanked the hydraulics down while Jayne hit the full burn. We rocketed into space in the opposite direction while the reavers were blown sideways behind us heading in the opposite direction.
Jayne whooped while Mal came on the coms again. "We're good people. We're out of the woods."
When Jayne stopped whooping I carried Kaylee back to the infirmary. There I saw River and Simon for the first time since I'd killed the lawman. River was looking at me with a frown and I felt her trying to connect her fragmented mind with mine.
I brushed her attempts off and she went bug eyed for a moment while I set Kaylee back on the medical bed. Adria smiled and started making a slight mind contact with the poor psychic girl. She was as evolved as the Nox were in most places while the rest was stress and trauma induced to strengthen her abilities.
The alliance had really messed the poor girl up. I left the medical area and headed to meet the captain. I found him in the cockpit piloting us to the nearest fuel station. The full burn nearly wiped out reserve fuel.
Sighing I sat down in the copilot seat. "If I were to pay for the parts to fix this ship up, would you be willing to park on the nearest planet with a decent market?"
He was caught off guard and only asked absentmindedly. "What?"
I chuckled. "I'm living on this ship to now. I can tell it's hurting and Serenity is in need of repairs."
I turned to look him in the eyes now. "If this ship fails and falls out of the sky or heavens forbid it clunks out while reavers are on our ass, I'm as humped as the rest of you. So I'm willing to spring fro parts and from the looks of it, weapons as well. This ship has me real defenses other than it's speed."
He shook his head. "The alliance would-"
I snorted. "They'd do nothing. A bonafide companion is on board and by their own laws a ship with a companion is allowed to be armed so long as it's registered properly. All it is is a little paperwork on Inara's part and some coin I'm willing to spring for."
He frowned but nodded. "I haven't really caught up on what the laws are lately as they don't really apply to me. But if you can prove it and Inara's willing to do the paperwork, and assuming you have the coin, then by all means. But make sure Kaylee is kept in the loop on all the fixings. Can't have my engineer not knowing what to fix."
I smiled. "Good. About the weapons system then. Do you have any preferences or will any space-worthy guns do?"
We sat there and discussed the particulars for a bit before Simon showed up. I stood and left to give them privacy. I grabbed a whores bath in the compartment sink before heading to do a workout in the cargo area.
On several occasions the females stopped to watch as I stretched and did a few kata's before getting down to the gravity training bands I'd had Adria make. It would put the weight where needed to keep me in top physical conditions.
While sweat pores off of me as I worked out I heard Inara murmur to Kaylee. "He's a fine specimen to be sure but not someone I think I could keep interested for more than a few nights."
Kaylee fanned herself a bit while I heard a distinct heartbeat from a hidden female watching me. I ignored it as said female was damaged and not capable of more than a few stringed sentences. Not to mention her older brother looked to be my physical appearance's age.
When I was done I heard the ship dock for fuel. Standing up I deactivated the bands on my arms and legs. Jayne asked suspiciously. "What are those rutten?"
Smirking I took one off and activated it before tossing it to him. He barely caught it with a grunt while I answered his question. "They're gravity bands. They're for keeping the body in top physical state and they're worth more than half the cost of this ship."
I walked over and took the arm band from his hands as they struggled to hold it up. After deactivating it, I took the others off and put them away before toweling off the sweat and sliding my shirt back on. The females each sighed in protest at the loss of the view.
I patted Jayne on the shoulder. "Perhaps you should borrow them sometime. It looks like you're in need of some physical fitness if you can barely hold one of them on it's lowest setting."
He grunted as I left them to wash up again before helping refuel the ship. I set all the weapons and ammo I'd taken from the men I'd killed on the small desk in my quarters. We landed on a Verbena two weeks later and I went for a walk with my duffle bag and Kaylee.
She had Jayne follow us with the buggy to pick up the parts we needed. When I had a full list made out, I insisted on buying new or as new as possible to ensure the best quality we could find.
Some of the parts were rare or scarce so I had to pull a fake out and have my human drone builders make a stall to sell firefly ship parts and make them out of neutronium and naquadah for the best outcome.
When the drone selling to us offered full installation and upgrades for just under what I had in my duffle, both Kaylee and Jayne were shocked and even more surprised when I shook it's hand. "Deal."
I passed the duffle to it and after counting all the coin, it nodded as twenty drones were brought out carrying parts for the upgraded systems. We stayed on Verbena for a week while they worked and fixed everything up.
All the systems were upgraded including scanners and weapons that were added on after Inara completed the paperwork and it was signed off on. After that all the wiring was turned into mostly crystal tech that made a lot more space in the walls to hide things.
I personally had my own quarters expanded because of it. Wash, Kaylee and Mal all had to be shown how to use the new systems. Even Jayne was happy to see a weapons chair that had a targeting system hooked to it.
The guns were mostly plasma and laser based as there was only one main gun and two smaller plasma guns allowed. Once the generator was back online and the ship was running smoothly, the builder bots moved to the hull and replaced most of it over night with a trinium- carbon and neutronium based alloy.
It could technically be considered invulnerable to the weapon systems of this galaxy now as they would at best leave a scorch mark in the hull now.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone